15 days and counting!

We are 15 days away from finalization of the boys' adoption! It is so hard to believe that we are so close. It feels like it was just October when the boys moved in! I can remember how nervous I was the days leading up to them moving in. We had been having the boys for weekend visits for 8 weeks prior to them moving in full time so we were used to having little feet around for a while. But having 2 sets of feet for good was a bit scary, to say the least. "J" has some speech issues and I remember saying to Billy "What happens if we can't understand him and we don't know what he needs??" Well, the little man's speech has come SO FAR in the last 8 months and what he can't verbally tell you, he figures out a way to tell you in other ways. We are really excited to be closing one chapter of their lives, the one that labels them as "foster kids" and opening a new chapter, the one where they are part of a forever family. "K" has started to tell any and everyone that he is getting a new name soon and that he will be stuck with Jennifer and Billy forever. His face seems to light up as he tells people and gets a cute little giggle to his speech. It just makes me very so great. I am not really sure how much of the process he understands but he is comfortable with us and that is all that matters. "K" has an attachment issue and for a long time would not respond to "I love you" with anything other then a smile. He has recently started to respond with "I love you too" and even better, just saying it at random times!! What a big step for him. 

Tonight we went to the Laynes' house for dinner. The Carr family was there as well, including the very cute 1 month old Wesley. As long as he isn't crying, I enjoy holding him. As Wes was all snuggled up on my chest sleeping soundly, I couldn't help but think about how no one did that for "K" and "J" when they were little. No one just let them cuddle and sleep and feel safe while being held. "J" was 6 weeks old when he was placed with his special mom and dad so he had a great deal of love and cuddle after that, but "K" didn't have that bonding time as an infant. I have heard/read/been told that the most important time for learning attachment happens during those precious few months of life. It breaks my heart to think our little men didn't have that time! I guess my thoughts tonight, my sadness for this missing part of their life, especially "K", just means we need to work that much harder on giving him that nurturing time he missed out on. Hopefully it isn't too late....

There is something to be said about....

...going to the bathroom alone! "J" is still working on potty training. He is making a great deal of big steps forward but is obsessed with flushing the toilet! Today, the little men and I were out running a few errands and two different times I needed to go to the bathroom. Well, into the big stall all three of us go. Each boy takes their turn and then it's Mommy's turn. All the while, "J" is asking "I flush it now?" while inching closer and closer to me! I can barely stand up and he is flushing the toilet! Dear goodness my child...you're going to flush your momma down the drain!

"K" had his tonsils taken out on Monday. The first two days were cake for him. You wouldn't have known anything had happened to him. Yesterday and today have been terrible. The little guy is in such pain and doesn't want to eat anything. He did manage to drink a milkshake for breakfast but other then that, he hasn't eaten all that much. He really doesn't complain but I know he feels horrible since he came in from outside tonight at 7:10 and told me he was done playing outside. 

In less then a month, the boys will offically be Dennis'! We have a bunch of paperwork and things to get done over the course of the next few weeks. We did find a great website (purplestork.com), with the help of our dear friend Cara, to create our adoption announcements! They did a great job and we are so excited to get them mailed out. I would highly recommend them to anyone who is in the market for announcements of some sort! 

How things have changed!

We have had a really stressful two weeks around here. There is that saying "God only gives you what you can handle" but I am beginning to think he has overestimated what type of person I am!
My dad has been very ill recently. He has spent a total of 11 days between to hospitals and has long road to recovery ahead of him. I am confident that he will be able to handle the challenge but needs a lot of support and love to help him through.
My 14 year old cousin has suffered two strokes in the past week. Up until this time, he was a healthly, active young man. Right now, he is stable but also has a long road ahead of him. For what he have heard, he is in great care.
I turned 30 on May 6th. It wasn't a major deal for me. I didn't have that panic about starting a new decade of my life. I am not sure why it didn't bother me but and glad it didn't. I don't think I could have handled another "crisis" that week! My friends at work made posters to hang around the building announcing to all about my age! The kids all got a kick out of it. Our building definately knows how to celebrate birthdays. We went out to dinner with our dear close friends, The Laynes. It was nice to spend time with them.
Mother's Day last year was a day we spent celebrating our mothers and everything they have done for us. In no way did I think I would have someone, or even two someones, wishing me a happy mother's day this year! It was so nice to hear those two little voices say "Happy Mother's Day Mom" to me. The boys have been such a blessing in our lives. We have, and continue to, enjoy every day we have with them. Last year at this time, we hadn't even met the boys. We had learned a little about them but that was it. It's hard for me to believe this considering how everything just seems right now.

A DATE FINALLY!!!

Today we got news of our adoption date!! The boys will officially become Dennis boys on June 19th at 8:00 AM in the morning! Billy and I are happy to have a light at the end of the tunnel. Now we have to have a home assessor come out and visit with us for a little while. Then it's on to the courthouse for our hearing! We can't wait to hear the judge declare the boys part of the Dennis family forever! 

Now we wait...

This past Monday, Billy and I went to the lawyer's office and signed our adoption paperwork. We still have a few papers to fill out for children's services but the paper for the court is ready to go! Now we are just waiting to hear from our lawyer about our finalization date. I keep calling home multiply times a day to check our machine but still haven't heard anything. I am trying to have patience but I feel like a little kid on Christmas morning. I hate waiting...I am not a waiter, I have never been a waiter...I do not want to start now! If we don't hear anything by tomorrow, I think I will try to give him a call. Mr. M did say that the court is scheduling adoption hearings about 45 to 60 days out. Boy that sounds like a long time but we have already been waiting 180 days (or so) so what is a few more days. During that 60 day period, we have to have another home study completed. A person from the court will come out and talk to us and check out our home and our references. Our case worker told me that she knows the court lady will love us! She also did say that this lady is a spitfire and speaks her mind. YIKES! 

So now we keep wait...

Last night Billy and I took the boys to see "Thomas and Friends Live: A Circus Comes to Town". The boys LOVED it. We didn't tell them what we were doing until they saw a picture of Thomas at the theater. It was a great feeling to have them be so excited and surprised. When the show was over, Kyle said "That was AWESOME!". Definitely worth the ticket price to see their faces and joy. 

Oh what a (busy) week!

Up until this year, Billy has coached track and cross country so I am used to having a busy fall and spring time. When he moved to his assistant Principal's job, he decided he wasn't going to coach. our days would be less hectic. I was wrong! I didn't think about how he would be officalling some track meets, which doesn't take up AS much time, but does still keep him out a few nights a week. Don't get me wrong, I am glad he loves being involved with track/cross country, and this is a good way of him still being an active part of the sport. It is also nice that he makes a little extra money which will help with our summer vacation plans. It is just hard to be home alone at night with the boys. THEY ARE EXHAUSTING!!!! OH goodness, I love them more than you can imagine but they never stop. I don't know how two little people can have so much energy all the time. I just wish I had the same energy. I could get a whole lot more done!

Friday night we went to Cara and Doug's for dinner. Jared and Bethany were there as well. They are expecting their first child in the next two weeks. We can't wait to meet the newest Carr. We haven't seen a whole lot of them lately so it was nice to spend some time with them. The boys and Hannah played together. They are all so headstrong which causes a bit of healthy bickering. I think the love that the three share was best described at the end of the evening. Right after "J" knocked Hannah over, he gave her a kiss goodbye. Too funny. 

Saturday afternoon was spent dyeing Easter eggs with my parents and my grandparents. It was fun to watch the boys enjoy dyeing eggs so much. They made sure their egg had the perfect dye timing and had dyed enough eggs of each color. I was glad that I had put down a plastic tablecloth though since "J" just thought that he could throw the eggs into cups! 

The Easter Bunny came last night so the boys were excited with the surprises he left. "J" got a big boy bike (a whole 12 inches) which he attempted to ride this afternoon and very matter of factly told us that he "can't like this yet!" "K" got a t-ball bat and a tee. They both had sand pails full of little junk with very little candy. The boys aren't really candy kids so the less we have the better. Mamaw and Papaw and Aunt Sam and Uncle Scott brought baskets full of candy. Grandma and Pop and Grandma and Grandpa bought the boys new swings for their swingset. It surely did look like Christmas around here today!

"J" seemed a bit confused about who all these grandmas were tonight. He wasn't sure how to get the attention of the one he wanted. While he was in the bathtub tonight he started yelling "white grandma". Not sure who he was looking for, my mom and my grandma walked into the bathroom and asked who he wanted. He pointed to my mom (she had on a white shirt) and then pointed to my grandma, who was wearing a brown sweater, and said "brown grandma"! What a clever little bugger he is! 

As I have said many times before, life as we knew it has been turned upside down and become a bit more crazy but we wouldn't give it up in a million years! We are totally in love with those two little boys! 

So much to say...

When we first met the boys, "J" was just starting to talk, at 2 and a half years old. When I say just starting, I mean just beginning to say words that you could barely understand, forget thoughts and phrases. I clearly remember him pointing to an airplane in the sky and thinking that if I hadn't known what he was pointing to I would have been clueless! Over the course of the last 10 months, he has started to say so much more, as kids who are learning to talk do. 6 months ago, he wouldn't even put 2 words together to make a request. Every day he starts to say more and put more words into sentences. This morning he came running into my bathroom and said "Mommy, Dad did my shoes! I can't tie them, it would take FOREVER!" I just laughed. He had his hands going a mile a minute and his head bobbing. TOO FUNNY!! He doesn't stop talking now. "J" has something to say about everything that happens. 

I remember hearing that what we say will come out of our kids mouths at some point. It amazes me how they can use words in correct context sometimes. "K" has started to tell us that things are "not necessary" when he feels they aren't. You can't help but laugh when it comes out of his mouth. He has also started to say "Oh crap!" which really isn't horrible in the whole picture but still something we are trying to stop. The other night I got on him for saying it and asked him where he learned that from! With this very innocent look he said "My special Mommy says it when the cat gets in the flower pots!" His special mommy is his first foster mom who he loves so much. I couldn't get upset with him about saying it but did explain that I didn't want to hear it again. 

"K" has finished up his basketball season, which he loved. He has started to play T-ball which he seems to be a bit better at. He also really likes this sport. I think he just likes to be outside playing and having fun. 

In less than two weeks, we can fill out papers with the court to petition to adopt the boys. It is so amazing that the last 6 months have gone by so fast. We have a few papers to fill out this week and get to the lawyer then we wait for the 17th and to get a date for our adoption to be final. "K" seems to be excited about being stuck with us forever. So are we!